How are the World Cup players looking in terms of Newcastle on Saturday?

I am so happy in the way they come back to training on Monday. I am really, really, really, really, really happy. I am so proud about them because they were very focused on trying to arrive in a very good condition. Of course the circumstances are completely different from each other, and the profiles of the players are completely different. Some need more time to get fit than others. That’s normal. Some players will be fit to start the game. Some will be fit to be on the bench.

Maybe some players will stay here to try to reach the level, to give more time, for different reasons – because maybe we don’t want to take risks, because they need more preparation, because the background or history of their injuries is different. It’s a massive challenge for us because it’s new. It’s never before happened in our careers. It’s a massive challenge for us to try to deliver the best tools for them to get fit and then to prepare them for the whole season, not only for one, two or three games or for one month. That is why for us it’s so important for us to right in our judgement now and take the best decision and then to provide the team a very good balance to try to be competitive against Newcastle.

Newcastle of course in this period have an advantage to us in their preparation with the whole squad, but that is not a reason to complain. We’re not a victim in that situation. We need to adapt ourselves and try to be competitive. I’m sure we’re going to be competitive. We will reach the same level of energy and attitude. I’m sure we will be available to win the game.

Which players could start?

I think I want to make clear that all are fit, but maybe we need to care for some players and not push them to compete, not take some rash decisions with some players because of their background or for different reasons that we are assessing now after Monday.

Mauricio Pochettino

Rivals have signed players, you haven’t. So what are your objectives?

After four years, now it’s our fifth, it’s always to be ambitious and try to win every single game. Of course we have our reality but in our dreams it’s always to win, and that’s the most important thing in football – dream, and fail, and believe and try to win. There’s no reason to not trust in our squad and no reason not to believe in our club or believe in what we can do. The most important thing is we’re so positive and of course we’re going to challenge for big things this season too.

Do you expect the club to make any signings today?

I think it’s so difficult now because it’s only four hours until the end and I don’t have news now. It’s sure it will be so difficult. Always, until you finish the game, you cannot say ‘now it’s the end of the game’. But in four hours it will be difficult to sign some players.

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I am happy to keep all the squad together. There are many rumours during the summer about players out. I think the club made a massive effort to try to extend contracts with people like Harry Kane. He is one example but there are many examples too. I think the club is doing amazing effort to try to finish the stadium as soon as possible, ready to compete then, and the lodge finished at the training ground. It's a massive effort from the club. Of course it's difficult to understand for people in football that Tottenham didn't sign or sell players, but sometimes in football you need to behave differently.

If we are happy with our squad and cannot improve our squad, sometimes it's better to keep our squad together. We believe a lot in our players and there's no point now to say, why not repeat a similar season like last year or the season before, and with more experience. Now with players who compete at a high level in the World Cup or now we have the captain who is the world champion, the one who lifted the trophy. That is I think a fantastic experience for him to translate to our team. Sure we are going to be better, no doubt about that.

Jack Grealish

What can you tell us about Jack Grealish?

You know I don't like to talk about players in another team. There are many rumours during the transfer window. I think there's no point talking about players that are in another club. I am happy with the squad and I am happy with the players. I think always it's to be right in your judgement and your possibilities and of course working hard to try to improve your squad. But when it's not possible it's not possible and you have to move on and believe in the way they we work and be competitive. I have no doubt that we are going to be competitive, with or without signings.

Has the club had any bid for Toby Alderweireld?

At the moment we haven't received for any player. Again, I don't like to talk about personal situations. It's so clear what's going on at the club in the past and present and how we are going to move in the future. I am happy with all the players at the moment, any new news about any single player.

(Image: Courtesy of Tottenham Hotspur)

Will Alderweireld, Danny Rose and Mousa Dembele be in your plans then for this season if they do stay?

I think it's never they were away from our thoughts. They are Tottenham players and always they were in my plans. Different situations, sure the players have different targets in their careers but not only them but the rest of the players. Look, for me it's always the same, for me they are part of the team. Like always, for me it's about to take the right decision. Unfortunately I can only pick 11 every single game. I am a person who always tries to be fair with everyone. But sometimes you cannot be fair when you can only pick 11, you cannot pick 12 or 13 or 14 in a squad with 25 players. Sure you cannot be fair with everyone. Look I am so clear. I was so clear with everyone. I need their commitment. 25 players will full commitment but not only one week, two weeks, one month and if I no play then I give up and start to say 'The gaffer is a bad guy'. No it's not a drama.

I think football we make it all a little bit drama and football is not a drama. Drama is another thing. Health is drama, war is drama. I don't want to be a demagogue. But drama is many things in life but football is joy, to enjoy. It provides you with a lot in life to enjoy. I am such a privileged person thanks to that passion that is football. I can be here, I can talk English, I can learn English, I can travel around the world. I give to my people, to my family, my parents, my brothers and friends, try to help and give a very good life.

That is why sometimes I am so upset if one person can't play a game it looks like it's a massive drama. It's not a drama. There are many things that don't help the situations that happen. We need to try to be responsible, to be professional, but knowing that football is not a drama, it is a joy. Of course people that invest a lot of money in football it is a drama to lose money. But nobody put a gun to their head and said invest in football. Football is about to win or lose. The problem is when there is not a good balance between winning and losing and it's more about business and money. In that money yes you start to feel that football is a drama.

I want to be away from that drama and I need feel that emotion and translate to my players that football is emotions. It's the context of emotions. Yes it's a business, it's about money, but when you are on the pitch you need to feel you love the game. If you don't love the game and your priority is business that it's difficult to enjoy your game and you cannot sure enjoy with your team-mates, your family or your fans. This is why it's so important to make it clear that football is not a drama. We make a lot of drama and in the real life are a lot of dramas. Football decisions are not things that we need to put in a situation that looks like it is something we cannot deal with.

Heung-Min Son

Are you worried about losing Son to the Asian Games?

We have a lot of players. Of course, Son is an important player but it's not a drama that he's not here. I'm sure he's going to play against newcastle. If I decide to put him in the starting XI, OK but after he needs to go to Korea. We're 25 players all fighting to help the team. That's the most important – the commitment. But as I said before: not for one day, not for one week, not for one month. Today at 5pm, it's the end of the transfer window and we need players with full commitment until the transfer window opens.

If after one month, we have players who give up, are difficult to manage, it's difficult to create a good atmosphere in the training sessions. Look, I was open to fixing it if some player is not happy at the club... we are open to finding the solution. But if they choose to stay here with us, they need to behave the way we want. Being professional means that. If we want to win, make the club and our fans proud, it's about being professional, fighting for your teammate, yourself, your club and being the best. In six months, when the window opens we can find a solution. Until that moment, it's about thinking collectively. That will be the key to us fighting for big things this season.

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I am with full energy! I am more fit than last season. Yes or no? Yes. Because I was thinking maybe if some players who played in the World Cup do not arrive fit, maybe I have the possibility to play. Why not Jesus [Perez - his assistant]? We're going to be competitive. I promise you I'm so happy in the way everyone came back, so focused, so happy to join us again. The attitude is fantastic, the energy is fantastic. Of course, I am so proud because they were so disappointed because only Hugo touched the glory. Hugo is in a very good mood, of course it's impossible not to be in that way. Another player was very disappointed to not reach the final.

The players feel comfortable and happy to join everyone. I'm surprised about that atmosphere and that energy. The coaching staff and everyone deserves full credit. We deserve quality time together and it's important they feel happy to be here again and spend time with us.

How is Harry Kane? He's just become a father again.

Harry is focused, it's true that the new baby helped him to stay here and not travel for holidays. It was quiet and calm and relaxed and waiting for the new baby. He was training here a few days before Monday and has an advantage on the rest. He was here because he was waiting for the baby, not on holiday in Vegas, Los Angeles. That is why I said before that every single circumstance is different and we need to understand from them. We wanted to provide them with a good rest, it impossible for them without 20 days' rest to be fresh and to feel the energy and compete, with a risk of them not arriving in a 100 per cent condition for the first or second game. That is up to us to make that decision and be competitive and not take a risk.

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You said at the end of the season that you had players in mind that you wanted to sign, what did it prove too difficult to get them?

The market was crazy, the World Cup changed the mind of everyone. The transfer market finishes today and people who understand it better than myself will debate whether it is good or bad idea to be different to the rest of Europe. We have a very good squad, with very good players and it is very difficult to add players to that. We didn't sell players and with 25 players in the squad it is difficult to add players. It's not about adding because it's fashionable to sign players. If you really need or not and then if you can get your target or not.

It's true our targets are always the same level as Manchester United, Manchester City or Real Madrid but for different circumstances we can't achieve that. I am not worried, I am not sad, I am so happy. To keep our best players was our objective and goal and we have achieved that – at the moment, we will see what happens in the next 20 days in Europe. If you can't add a player than can improve your squad, the most important thing is to make sure you do not lose your best player and I think that was a great job from the club to keep the best players and the best manager.

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